Chapter 37
“Are you stupid? I nearly shouted myself hoarse telling you not to sell them. Do you know how valuable those spirit stones are? Giving you ten thousand taels is still too little. Just take it as me buying you a lesson.”
Zhou Zhouzi’s face was full of disappointment, as if scolding iron for not becoming steel. He had originally wanted to offer a few tens of thousands more, but when he thought of how Xi Zhou had sold two spirit stones in the secret realm for only seven thousand taels…
He felt that at most, he could offer ten thousand taels per stone. Otherwise, it would make him look even more stupid.
Xi Zhou froze on the spot. “So I lost money?”
“You lost terribly. But those spirit stones were picked up for free anyway, so overall, you still earned.”
Zhou Zhouzi’s comfort had some effect.
Xi Zhou took out the last spirit stone. “That’s true. Here. I need to go to Beishan Peak immediately. If anything comes up, contact me with the communication jade talisman.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I didn’t expect you to have this kind of fortune. If you become rich and noble, don’t forget me.” Zhou Zhouzi accepted the spirit stone, his eyes full of disbelief. Yesterday, his little companion had still been an overlooked outer sect disciple just like him. Today, she had soared straight upward.
Xi Zhou patted his shoulder. “Work hard. You can do it too.”
After Zhou Zhouzi left, she closed the door, put everything she needed into her storage ring, and sat by the bed.
Why walk all the way back when she could just return to the grass directly?
In the blink of an eye, she returned to the grass, only to discover that she was not in the pot, nor wrapped around Eldest Senior Sister’s wrist. Instead, she was on the bed, and a small foot was pressing down on her.
“Mother, can I step on Little Grass with my foot too?” Little Xinghui stepped on the Dream-Entering Grass. Mother had said she could play with Little Grass today. It seemed the worse she treated Little Grass, the happier Mother became.
Zhai Wangyou’s brows and eyes were gentle. “You can. As long as Xinghui likes it, anything is fine.”
Little Xinghui looked at the smile on her mother’s face and hesitated. “Then I’ll cut off Little Grass’s roots and plant them in the pot. I’ll only play with the leaves.”
Xi Zhou: !
Cut off her roots!!!
This was definitely not her daughter. What sweet little padded jacket? She was practically a lethal weapon.
Zhai Wangyou lowered her eyes, remembering the sight of that person refusing to hold her daughter and coldly leaving. She said coolly, “All right.”
“Mother, get me the scissors.” Little Xinghui cheered and grabbed the Dream-Entering Grass in her hand.
Zhai Wangyou did not move, but Xi Zhou was already frightened.
She directly transformed into human form, took the Dream-Entering Grass from Little Xinghui’s hand, and wound it around her own wrist in a few quick motions. Only then did she feel a little more at ease.
Little Xinghui looked at the person who had suddenly appeared and stolen her Little Grass without saying a word. Her mouth flattened, but she held back her tears.
“Mother, Pretty Auntie stole Little Grass.”
Xi Zhou looked at her about-to-cry expression, and her heart softened faintly. Perhaps the tree demon senior’s talisman was not accurate at all. Senior had always been unreliable.
Just then, Zhai Wangyou’s voice came from behind her. “She is not some pretty auntie. She is the Dream-Entering Grass, only an insignificant blade of grass. If you want one, Mother will find another for you.”
Xi Zhou turned around and quietly looked at her. Suddenly, she smiled. “But there is only one Dream-Entering Grass like me. Can Eldest Senior Sister still find another?”
Why had this woman turned dark again? She actually said Xi Zhou was just an insignificant blade of grass.
Could an insignificant blade of grass heal your injuries?
Could it help you improve your cultivation?
Could it nearly work its fingers to the point of breaking?
Could it mou—
Zhai Wangyou heard this and sneered. “How would I know whether there is another if I do not go looking?”
Xi Zhou fell silent. That did make sense. No, wait.
“Can other grasses be the same as me? Last night, you even said I was in your heart.”
Putting on clothes and refusing to acknowledge people again?
Zhai Wangyou withdrew her smile and quietly looked at her. “Last night, you also said you would believe me.”
And in the end, she turned around and refused to acknowledge her daughter. So this was what she called belief?
Xi Zhou fell silent and looked toward Little Xinghui on the bed again.
Little Xinghui obediently listened to them speak. Even though she did not understand, she sensibly did not make a sound. She sat quietly on the bed, her bright eyes sparkling like starlight.
This was her daughter…
Could she be the little fox?
Xi Zhou turned back, her tone serious. “Was Xinghui really born after you carried her for ten months?”
Zhai Wangyou’s brows drew together. She closed her eyes with a cold face and said flatly, “I lied to you before. Xinghui is my daughter and has nothing to do with you. You do not need to come to Beishan Peak anymore. Get out now.”
In all her life, she had never been doubted like this. Aside from this grass, she had never been intimate with anyone.
Sometimes, avoidance was an answer. Suspicion was an answer. So why force it?
Xi Zhou looked at the person who was clearly angry and silently walked over, raising her hand to gently stroke Zhai Wangyou’s tightly furrowed brows.
As expected, Zhai Wangyou turned her head away and avoided her.
Xi Zhou withdrew her hand. “Don’t be angry, and don’t say things out of anger. Listen to me first. Xinghui may not necessarily be my daughter.”
In the next instant, Xi Zhou’s vision went dark. A large pale-purple glass bottle came down over her head.
The Purple-Gold Cover?
Eldest Senior Sister knew how to use it now too?
Wait. Why was she covering Xi Zhou with it?
Zhai Wangyou looked at her and said coldly, “Shrink.”
What the hell!
The bottle rapidly shrank, and Xi Zhou was forced to return to the grass. The bottle shrank until it was just large enough to contain the Dream-Entering Grass.
She closed her eyes and focused, only to discover that she could not get out.
Dear heavens. Had this bottle upgraded in Eldest Senior Sister’s hands?
Could she not get out by transforming before? Could it be because she now had cultivation, and since the Purple-Gold Cover could trap cultivators, it could now trap her too?
Zhai Wangyou looked at the Dream-Entering Grass inside the Purple-Gold Cover, which kept using its leaves to tap against the bottle wall.
“If you make any more noise, I will throw you out.”
The moment her voice fell, the Dream-Entering Grass inside the Purple-Gold Cover quieted down.
At that moment, Zhai Wangyou took out a jade talisman and checked it.
The Sect Master had come out of seclusion? She turned and hugged Little Xinghui. “Be good. Wait on the bed for Mother to come back.”
Little Xinghui nodded heavily. “Xinghui will be good. Mother, come back soon.”
Zhai Wangyou stroked her head. Before leaving, she gave the Dream-Entering Grass inside the Purple-Gold Cover a warning glance.
Xi Zhou stood stiffly upright, not daring to move.
As soon as Zhai Wangyou left, she immediately rolled herself, bottle and all, off the table.
“Little Grass, don’t leave, okay? Mother will be sad.”
Xi Zhou stopped moving and looked at Little Xinghui on the bed. After standing quietly for a while, she rolled back onto the table.
It was not that she wanted to leave. Even if she left, she could not get out. She only wanted to hide and express a little protest.
Seeing that she had returned to the table by herself, Little Xinghui clapped happily. “Little Grass is Pretty Auntie, right?”
Xi Zhou looked at innocent and adorable Little Xinghui, her heart full of complicated feelings. In the end, she silently drooped her leaves.
Yes.
Seeing her respond, Little Xinghui happily got off the bed and walked to the table, but she was not tall enough to reach the tabletop.
Xi Zhou sighed deeply in her heart. She must have owed Eldest Senior Sister a lot of money in her previous life. In this life, she had come to repay her debts.
She gently rolled the bottle down from the table and to Little Xinghui’s feet. This child had not even put on shoes or socks. Wasn’t she cold?
Little Xinghui touched the Purple-Gold Cover and whispered, “I’ll let Little Grass out. Will Little Grass play with me?”
Xi Zhou’s leaves immediately trembled. Let her out?
This child could open the Purple-Gold Cover?
“I’ll let Pretty Auntie out. Auntie, don’t leave, okay?”
Half-believing and half-doubting, Xi Zhou drooped her leaves. In the next instant, the Purple-Gold Cover was put away.
She transformed into her original form, her face full of shock. “You really can open it? But you can’t do this again in the future. Your mother just locked someone inside, and you let them out right away. Isn’t that causing trouble? What if I were a bad person?”
This child’s sense of caution was far too low.
Little Xinghui tilted her head and thought for a moment before hesitating. “Then should I put Pretty Auntie back into the bottle?”
Xi Zhou froze and quickly crouched down, smiling gently. “No need, no need. I’m not a bad person. Come, I’ll carry you back to the bed to play. In the future, don’t run around barefoot.”
Little Xinghui obediently opened her arms. Pretty Auntie was willing to hold her now. Mother would definitely be happy if she saw.
Xi Zhou carried Little Xinghui to the bed, and her heart could not help wavering.
The tree demon senior’s talisman must be unreliable. This was clearly a sweet little padded jacket.
In the future, she did not need to fear the Purple-Gold Cover either, because Little Xinghui would let her out.
“If your mother locks me inside again in the future, secretly let me out, all right?”
“If Auntie doesn’t leave, I’ll let you out.”
Xi Zhou smiled lightly. Children really were easy to coax. As long as she could get out, whether she left or not would still be up to her.
Little Xinghui seemed to detect something from her smile and emphasized again, “Auntie can’t lie. You can’t trick me. If you do, you won’t be a good child.”
Xi Zhou smiled and agreed. “All right.” She was not a child anyway.
Little Xinghui smiled in satisfaction and raised her hand to pull up the quilt. “Auntie, play wind-blowing with me. Like this, wind-blowing.”
Xi Zhou looked at the little person struggling to pull the quilt, and her forehead was covered in black lines. This entertainment was… far too monotonous.
Last time, she had seen Eldest Senior Sister play with this child by tugging the quilt too.
Truly… truly eye-opening.
Xi Zhou raised her hand and touched Little Xinghui’s head. “Let’s talk for a while first, and then play later, all right?”
“All right.” Little Xinghui put down the quilt and sat beside Xi Zhou’s leg.
Xi Zhou softened her voice and asked, “Does Xinghui know a lot about your mother?”
Little Xinghui lifted her head and patted her little chest. “I know Mother. Lots and lots.”
Xi Zhou’s eyes lit up. “Then I’ll ask you a few questions. Children can’t tell lies, okay?”
“Mm-hmm.” Little Xinghui nodded seriously.
Xi Zhou’s heart melted completely. How could she be so cute? Aside from her eyes, she was simply a miniature version of Eldest Senior Sister.
She could not help rubbing Little Xinghui’s head again and asked, “Then tell me, why does your mother like wearing red?”
Little Xinghui answered without thinking, “Auntie Guanlan asked Mother before. Mother said it’s because Xinghui likes red.”
Xi Zhou raised a brow. “Then why does Xinghui like red?”
This time, Little Xinghui answered even faster. “Because Mother likes wearing red.”
Xi Zhou: “…”
This answer…
Why did it feel like there was no answer at all? So did Little Xinghui like red first, or did Eldest Senior Sister wear red first?
She sighed. Children were easy to coax, but their words really had no logic.
“All right, question time is over. Next, shall we make a toy together?”
Eldest Senior Sister was far too inattentive. There were no toys at all. Letting the child play with a quilt all day was simply too perfunctory.
“All right.” Little Xinghui blinked her shining eyes and followed Xi Zhou out the door.
Xi Zhou glanced at her storage ring. Fortunately, she had brought everything she could. She had all the tools. She would make a small swing first.
Half an hour later, Zhai Wangyou had not yet returned to the courtyard when she heard waves of clear laughter. She stopped and opened her spiritual sense.
She saw her daughter sitting on a small wooden plank beneath the old tree in the courtyard. The two ends of the plank were tied to the branches with ropes.
Xi Zhou stood behind Little Xinghui, carefully protecting the child as she gently rocked the ropes back and forth, swinging, swinging…
Zhai Wangyou stood in place, watching the adult and child in the courtyard laughing nonstop. For a long time, she did not move.
Author’s Note:
Xi Zhou: Eldest Senior Sister, come swing too~
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